You've Got To Try This Coachella-Ready Waterfall Braid

(Source: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images North America) Whether you're going to Coachella or just dreaming about the Cali music festival, your locks deserve a braid worthy of any flower child. A flowing waterfall braid has recently been seen on Nina Dobrev and Jennifer Morrison, among others, and if you ask us, it's the perfect braid for music festival season. Want to re-create this dreamy look? We've got the exact step-by-step details straight from DreamDry's senior stylist Jenn Bradford to get you channeling your inner free spirit in no time.

To start, make sure you have either a clear or black hair tie and/or bobby pins that match your hair to secure the braid. "Keeping these hair accessories close to you during the end of braiding is crucial to achieve a secure style," says Bradford. Once your hair is clean and blow dried, run a comb through your strands to eliminate any knots. Mist hair with Kérastase Laque Dentelle hairspray ($35) before starting to help add a little hold beforehand, as well as to tame flyaways.

Step 1) Find your natural part. Begin on the right side of your head and take a one-inch by one-inch section on your front hairline that is right next to your temple. (You can take a bigger section into your hands depending on how prominent you want your waterfall braid to be, but it's best for thick-haired ladies to take bigger sections, and those with finer hair to take the recommended dimensions.)

Step 2) Split this section in two. "It is important to never let these pieces out of your hands as these are the foundation to the braid and are your 'twisting pieces'," says Bradford. Starting with the two pieces, take the bottom piece of the section and twist it on top of the other piece. Remember: whichever side of the head you’re working on, twist the bottom piece up and over the top piece.

Step 3) Once you have twisted these two pieces just once, use your opposite hand and bring down a small section of hair that is naturally falling and pull it in between the two pieces of hair you just twisted. This takes some maneuvering with your hands but Bradford swears that "once you get the hang of it, it will be smooth sailing."

(Source: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images North America) Step 4) After you bring down the falling section of hair in between the two twisted foundation pieces of hair, keep holding onto the two foundation pieces. In the same motion as before, cross the piece of hair that is on the bottom up and over the piece of hair on the top. At this point, you should now see the falling section of hair you just let down in between the two foundation pieces. It should be secured between the new twist you just made while still using the foundation pieces from your front temple. Stylist tip: never let go of the section of hair from the front temple! This motion is what creates the waterfall braid.

Step 5) Bradford says the motion to repeat to yourself is "twist the bottom foundation piece over the top foundation piece, let some hair that is naturally falling now lay in between the twisted pieces, repeat.” Repeat this motion until you get towards the center of the back of your head. Secure the foundation pieces with a hair tie and/or bobby pins.

Step 6) You will then move to the left side of your head and repeat this entire braid until you get to the center of the back of your head coming from the left side. (You should meet the right side of the braid in the back.) Secure both sets of foundation pieces together at the back. If you want to hide the hair tie or bobby pins, Bradford says you can always take a few strands of hair and wrap them around the hair tie and secure them in place with a bobby pin. Alternatively, you can pull down a section of hair over the hair tie or bobby pins so the hair hides the secured portion.

Step 7) Finish with hairspray to secure. If any flyaways persist, Bradford suggests using a dime-size amount of Kérastase Cristalliste Lumière Liquide ($42) to tame them.